Important changes to PGLS Tours and how they operate

[MiMiC]

PLANNED CHANGES TO PGLS TOURS

PLEASE READ: Important changes to PGLS Tours and how they operate.

MAIN POINTS:
PLAY AT YOUR NEW ASSESSED LEVEL OF PLAY
SCORES IN EVENT LOWER THAN ASSESSED WILL BE REMOVED


PGLS is presently working on an overhaul of the present tour structure.
This will be a process which will take place over the course of this coming
season, running September through to December. Once done, we will have a
fully automated way of ensuring a quality and depth of competition which
should be fair and equitable to all.

The following is an outline of the direction of travel, and details of any
immediate changes involved.


CREATION OF NEW EVENTS

The creation of the Stableford9 event, starting this week, is part of an
overall plan to widen the participation and freshen up the competition. A
further 18-hole Stableford event will also be developed shortly.

The reason for additional formats is to increase the range of events so
that we can begin to make competition more enjoyable for all. The plan is
to give better events to those at all levels of ability.

To begin with, one ability level will play both the PGA9 (4 x 9-holes) and
Stableford9 (4 x 9-holes). The other ability level will play the PGA18 (4 x
18 holes). Events will be weekly rather than the fortnightly pattern of the
PGA18. The following week, the formats will swap around, with Pro playing
the 9-hole format and Amateur playing the 18-hole event.

The PGLS Open will continue to be played at one level ahead of planned
changes in that event.


THE PROBLEM OF 'PLAY WHAT YOU WANT'

Presently the current 'play what you want' system means that players of
very high ability are playing alongside those who are still learning their
skills. Whilst it is always great to see yourself at the top of a
leaderboard, in doing so, we are aware that some would wish to compete
against those who that have a chance of putting up a good fight against.

Additionally, a player placing well in all events takes such a share of
Order of Merits points as to make that system almost obsolete in giving a
picture of how players compare within their own ability groups.


ABILITY LEVELS

To address this, we will be starting to separate the membership into the
levels of play to make this more competitive and fun for all.

To begin with, we have assessed players on their past playing record, and
have initially divided the player group into two sections. What we will be
doing, manually to begin with, but in time by a coded solution, is to
preserve play in each ability level to those whose PGLS playing record
shows they are legitimately playing at their correct level.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To ensure the competition remains fair and entertaining for
all, anyone playing below the level stated will have scores removed from
the event.

Decisions have been based on your past tour performance, with the level at
which you have signed up for ladders also as a factor.


THE 'DIVISIONS'

Players have initially been grouped as below. A player may play in an
ability group higher than assessed, but must not play in one below their
assessed level. Scores which are posted in lower ability levels than your
assessed level will be removed. If you play in more than one level, your
scores in the higher division will be the ones retained. The lower ability
level scores will be removed.

Contact me through Private Message if you would like your ability level
re-assessed or the decision in placement explained.


In the Amateur division:

AUBREY
BIGMAC
BOWLER67
BRAD61
CLIFFY4244
DEAN B
DMAN52
DUNCANMATHIESON
EAGLE1803UK
GOFORHOLE
GOTALLOFTHATONE
GRIPNRIP
GUNEE
JIMBOB59
JOLLYBANDIDO
KYPRAN
LETORGAN
LZ SANDBAGGER
PERCULATOR
RASCAL
SEASIDER47
STLDRIFTER
STONEY
TERBAL
TRESCLUB
WOLFY
WOLLE

In the Pro division:

AFFO
ALTAEDM
BACKPASS1
BAMAKIDD
BIFFA
BLADERUNNER
BOHICAXX
BOWHUNTER615
BRAIRFOX62
BRENDAN
CARL LAPIN
CATMANAL
CHARLIEB
CHICAS
COBRA
CROW357
CRUSHER
DACE
DCI_JONES
DOMINO
DONLEE
DRIVER 1
ERGO76PROP
FAIRWAYMAN
GATEKEEPER
GBODAVE
GRAMPYNIGEL
HOCKEYNUT
JBROWN247
JLCOLE
JTEE1
KENNETHARRY
KEV56
KIMMER1947
LEEUW68
LES1959
LETEMRIP
LZ HIPPIEHEMI
LZ PAUL
LZ_ZIPMAN58
MAKOSHA
MINI
MMMDUFF1
NOELW1969
ONYXCARP
PUFFNSTROKE
RHODES264
RICHYBRO01
RIDDLER
ROANDE47
ROCKERROB79
RONPISKORIK
SHARK
SHEPPY
SKUTARUE
STEADIEDDIE
STOPITSHERE
SUPSTER
TED_BALL
TEXASACES
TIGGERCAT
TOONAROONI
WIZZPUTTER


WHY NOT USE HANDICAPS?


We have considered the benefits and drawbacks of using handicaps across the
site for tour play and whilst we have not ruled out their use entirely, we
recognize the contentious issue they can be for players who are asked to
perform to a high level just to keep pace with those who are aided more by
the use of an adjusted score.

We are planning to have just the one handicap event at PGLS, which will be
the monthly PGLS Open. Data is being collected for this to happen in
future. This gives us the chance to bring the whole membership together as
one for a single event. In time, the PGLS Open Handicap will cater for all
levels of ability within the one event. All other events will remain set on
single ability.

This will not happen immediately, and so the handicap will be set for the
most accessible level for all to play in for the present.


IS PGLS PLANNING TO INCLUDE OTHER LEVELS?

Initially we are doing this simple two-division split, but with a further
event coming soon, we will have the ability to include a third level of
play. We will monitor scoring within the two divisions to see where this
would be best to introduce. It could possibly be a Hacker division, as long
as this does not reduce the pool of competition too much. It could also be
a 'Masters' division for those whose Pro playing record is somewhat out of
line with the scoring for others in the Pro division. We will continue to
monitor play and bear in mind changes made to the game when we assess this.


DO YOU GET THE SAME POINTS FOR PLAYING HIGHER OR LOWER ABILITIES?

At present you will continue to score the same Order of Merit points, but
in time we will be introducing a 'multiplier' to encourage players to move
upwards in ability for more points. This will not take place before the end
of this three-month season, and we will be assessing player qualifications
for certain events based on Order of Merit points, focused on each level of
play.

[BladeRunner]

I was wondering if there are any plans, to add Tour Pro tournaments in the future.

[Armand]

I'm not sure if this thread is 'quiet' because traffic is slow or because people are unhappy and don't want to be the first to complain. I hope it's the former. I think this is a good approach. While I'm not sure I'll be competing due to other commitments, I hope all agree with the approach that PGLS is taking.


[Takes out LARGE stirring stick...]

In my opinion, automatic promotions to the Pro Division is a good first step, but it should be much more. Most "better players" will probably dislike this idea, as it will mean they have to play a more difficult setting and they will miss the "satisfaction" or shooting well under par in every round.

In my opinion, anyone who consistently shoots under par should be "promoted" to the next higher difficulty level or should turn off some/all aids so they struggle to shoot par golf over an event. Many will (rightly?) dismiss my opinion, since I have only played a few rounds here. But I think that every site should implement a similar, but more strict, policy. I submit that if a player shoots under par in every round in any one event they play (unless it's obviously set up for ease of scoring), they should be automatically moved up to the next level. We can't, at present, disable certain aids in the game, so the only option is to move up a level. Obviously, if a player can shoot under par at Tour Pro level, there is no place to go, so that would be fine (until aids can be disabled). So, the split between Amateur and Pro Division is a good start, but I think there should be a split between ALL levels in the game.

I know this would be off-putting to most players, since most are seemingly only satisfied with -9 or better each round (I agree with Makosha's postulation in her post about tournament set-ups). It would probably even make some players stop playing PG or definitely stop playing at sites that would introduce such a system. I hope that isn't the case here. But, there have been players commenting that there is nothing to play for, no reason to play, and no reason to progress with the game. Automatic promotions should make players strive to become better at the next level or to be better without some of the aids provided, especially since all players are subject to the same criteria. I guess that some players wouldn't take the challenge, and instead would turn to a different golf game or stop playing computer golf altogether. That would be a shame.

Once we hopefully have the ability to restrict the use of aids, it would help keep people playing at that level, but with a little more challenge. If people don't want the challenge, they would simply play on their own or in multiplayer, rather than on tournament sites. There would need to be a limit to removal of aids in the game - while I enjoy Ted_Ball's BARE golf concept, it is probably a bit too extreme, even in my books for tournament sites. For players to strive to reach competence playing BARE golf would be unrealistic, but a few of use would like it!

[/Puts stirring stick back in the drawer ...]

[Mwh65]

I was wondering if there are any plans, to add Tour Pro tournaments in the future.

Yes when the need calls for it.

Currently this may be a long way off because there are so few players who want to play at Tour Pro level it would not be yet worth adding it.

[BladeRunner]

I understand, thank you for your reply.